Inside Out
by lilgirl
Summary: Once Mori & Honey graduated, the remaining club members had more time to spend with Haruhi since her attention was now only divided between the four of them. When the twins cousin comes to visit & tries to keep Haruhi away from them, what will happen? R
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School Host Club

Prologue

The girl removed the picture frame from the mantle and took the photo out. Lightly running her fingers across the photo she smiled.

"I'll see them again, Mama!" she said with a sparkle in her eye.

The tall woman smiled at her daughter. "I'll miss you so much! But I'm so happy you'll get to see your auntie and uncle," she said, pulling the child into a hug. "I'm glad you'll get to go to your cousins' school. It's a good school and I'm sure you'll make lots of friends while you're in Japan."

"I wish I could go to the same classes as them," the girl sighed. Her smile faded slightly.

"You're not old enough, dear. You're two years younger, I'm afraid you can't," her mother explained sympathetically. "You'll get to see lots of them in the evenings though. You're staying at their house!"

"Really?" the girl exclaimed. Her face brightened again. She hugged the picture of her aunt, uncle, and two cousins. It had been years since she'd seen them. The last memory she had of her cousins was when she was five. They hadn't been exactly nice to her, but for some reason unexplainable she loved them dearly despite that. She was determined to be accepted into their world. Determined for them to let her in. Determined to be their friend. Like her, they were older now. People often changed as they grew older. It was her hope that they had changed too. She knew she had. "Mama? Will they be happy to see me?" she asked, turning to her mother.

"I don't know," her mother replied with a frown. "I'm not sure they'll remember you. But I'm sure they'll grow to love you once they meet you again!"

The girl smiled. "Its okay if they don't," she said. She closed her eyes to hide the look of sadness she had in her eye at the thought. "I'll try my best to be accepted!"

The woman hugged her daughter. "I hope everything goes well," she told her. "I'll be thinking about you. Come home safely!"

The girl smiled, holding the picture out at arms length. She stepped away from her mother's embrace and smiled warmly at the picture. "Do you hear that?" she said to the picture. "I'm coming to see you, Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin. Won't you take me in?"


	2. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I didn't proof read, which is a little thing I kind of skip most of the time, so there will be gramatical errors and typos. I'm sorry I'm lazy T.T

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School Host Club

Chapter One

"Ne, Haruhi!"

Haruhi almost cringed at the harmonic sound the twins voices had when they spoke together. It wasn't their voices that made her cringe; it was the fact that they were calling her name. Even after a year she couldn't help but worry every time they spoke to her. She wondered what mischief they were up to and how they planned to use or involve her in it.

"What?" she asked, setting her book bag on her desk as she stood beside of it.

"You finished your paper for history early, right?" Hikaru enquired, leaning over to her as she sat down in the desk between theirs.

"Yes, I did. And no, I'm not writing yours for you," she replied emotionlessly, pulling the books she needed from her back and setting them neatly on the desktop.

"Why not?" they chimed together.

"Because you should do the work for yourselves," she explained flatly. "You don't deserve a good grade if you don't earn it yourself. Besides, with my own homework and club after classes, I don't have time to write a paper for the both of you."

"The write one and we'll turn it in together," Hikaru suggested.

"The teacher won't accept the same paper for the both of you," Haruhi replied. "You may see yourselves as one, but when it comes to your grades you're two complete persons of your own."

"Then we'll copy it and each turn one in," Kaoru said, leaning back in his chair.

"The teacher won't accept that either," she sighed. "Just write something yourselves. I'm not writing anything for you."

Haruhi ignored their protests and tuned them out completely. Once class started they quieted down, but every so often during their studies they would give her a pleading look or whisper another offer to her. She knew that they weren't just being lazy. They'd slacked off so long that the deadline had crept up on them and they found themselves without any research of their own. And since she'd mentioned when the assignment had been given that she would research several topics and choose which was more interesting to her, they knew she had done more research necessary. More importantly, they knew she'd done enough to write at least two more papers for them. But she wasn't about to let them use her—like that, anyway.

* * *

The morning passed rather quickly and it was time for lunch before Haruhi knew it. Hikaru and Kaoru, as always, insisted she come eat her packed lunch with them in the cafeteria and had her sandwiched between them as they walked down the hall. They were talking about something – what exactly, Haruhi had no idea since she'd started ignoring them again since the lunch hour started – when a loud voice rang out above everyone else's around them.

"I found you!" it cried out with excitement.

Haruhi turned around with the Hitachiin brothers to find the source of the voice. For a moment the only thing the three of them could see was a sea of fellow students as they mingled and bustled through the hallways. Then a girl appeared, pushing between two students. When she looked up and saw the twins she smiled, almost glowing when she did.

"Ah, Riku-chan!" the brothers said simultaneously.

"Riku?" Haruhi questioned, starring at the dark hair girl. Her hair was brown, but it was so dark it looked black to the untrained eye. Her eyes sparkled. Haruhi compared them to the ocean because they were the same deep blue.

"Yes! I came over from the middle school to see you," she explained. She ducked around a few people that still stood between her and the trio and stopped directly in front of them. "I hope we can eat lunch together! And maybe we can everyday?"

"That's an awfully long way to come for lunch everyday," Haruhi mused. She glanced between the twins, both of whom seemed just as disinterested as the other.

"No, we can't have you hanging around us," Hikaru replied coldly, turning his back.

"Go back to the middle school. You'll only get in the way here," Kaoru added. He turned to continue on to the cafeteria with Hikaru. "We can't eat lunch with you today." They replied together.

"Ah, wait, Kaoru!" the girl, Riku, called after them in distress. She reached out and grabbed hold of his jacket.

"No, I'm Hikaru," Hikaru scolded quite harshly, shrugging his sleeve loose from her grasp.

"I-I'm sorry," Riku gasped. She looked mortified that she'd confused him for his brother. "Its hard—hard to tell you… apart," she muttered, her voice trailing off. She bowed her head in shame under Hikaru and Kaoru's disapproving gaze.

"Let's go, Haruhi," Kaoru said. He and Hikaru each took her by an arm and pulled her away. "Time to eat!"

Haruhi glanced over her shoulder at Riku. She was in tears and about to cry. Wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her uniform she turned and walked away, head down.

Haruhi was still surprised at just how cruel and cold the twins could be. They'd changed a lot in the year she'd known them, and had proved just how friendly they'd become since joining the club at Mori and Honey's graduation ceremony. They'd interacted with other students the most that she had seen them and were nice to almost everyone most of the day. But this moment now had proven their cruel side hadn't grown any smaller.

"Hikaru, Kaoru—"

"Haruhi, what did you bring for lunch?" Hikaru cut her off, snatching the box from her hands.

"Anything good? If its something you'd rather not have, I don't mind letting you have some of my lunch tray," Kaoru offered.

"Um, no that's fine," Haruhi refused, shaking her head. "But that girl—"

Hikaru opened the box and began to pick through its contents. "Is this even eatable?" he wondered aloud, interrupting her yet again.

"Hey, don't run your hands through that!" Haruhi protested, reaching for her lunch box.

Hikaru pulled it away from her grasp. "Sorry, sorry," he said.

"Who was that girl? And why were you so cold to her?" Haruhi asked, deciding not to scold him further. She still wanted an answer.

"Is there curry in there, Hikaru?" Kaoru asked, ignoring her questions. "Curry is good, even if it is commoner food."

"No, no curry," Hikaru replied. He almost dropped the box, but recovered it before anything could fall out. "Haruhi, did you make this?"

Haruhi let out a relieved sigh, glad that her lunch hadn't been dumped all over the floor. "Yes, I made it," she replied, snatching the box before he could pull it away. She closed it back up to keep it safe until they reached their destination. "Will you forget about my lunch and tell me who Riku is?"

"Milord should already be in the cafeteria," Kaoru observed. He smiled slyly. "What should we tease him about this time?"

"Are you listening to me?" Haruhi wondered, glancing back and forth between them.

"You aren't running out of ideas are you?" Hikaru asked in mock appall.

"Hikaru," Haruhi growled.

"Of course not. I'm just curious what you want to do," Kaoru explained.

"Kaoru," she sighed.

"Well then, let me think. Yesterday we—"

"I'm talking to you!" Haruhi snapped.

The brothers looked at her with surprise. "Oh, sorry, Haruhi," Hikaru apologized. "We weren't listening," Kaoru added. They finished together, "Did you need something?"

Haruhi sighed, pushing past them. "No, never mind," she said. Frustrated and annoyed, she turned and entered the cafeteria. Obviously she wasn't going to get an answer. Whether they were doing it deliberately or not she couldn't tell, but either way they were determined to keep it to themselves. Continuing to question them would only lead to more grief.

Sitting down she opened her lunch box to find everything had been mixed together by Hikaru. With another heavy sigh, she began to eat. It was just another normal day at school.

* * *

After her last class, Haruhi headed to the third music room. She wasn't late this time, but everyone else was already there before her per the norm. The only thing different than last year was the obvious absence of Mori and Honey.

When they graduated they had left the club feeling sad. They were all happy for their achievement of course, but it didn't change the fact that they'd be missed. Tamaki had adjusted to their absence but still 'grieved' the club's loss. Kyoya had noted the decrease in profits due to their departure but had quickly compensated for it by finding another way to raise money. Some customers didn't come anymore, but that was such a small number no one had really noticed after the first week or so of the new school year. Most of Mori and Honey's customer's had picked a new member to designate. Almost all of the Honey fans had switched to Haruhi, thus helping her 'situation' greatly, and the Mori fans had divided between Kyoya and the twins. The remaining few that didn't chose the previously mentioned were now Tamaki's customers.

The customers often spoke of how much they missed Honey and Mori, but the biggest reminded that they were no longer there was their absence. Haruhi still hadn't adjusted to them not being there. Sometimes, especially when it was raining, the music room just wasn't as bright and happy without Honey. And there just wasn't as much commotion without the two of them together.

But life moved on. Mori and Honey had gone on to a university, Mori naturally attending the same one as Honey, and the remaining Hosts continued to entertain young ladies. They still saw them from time to time though during visits, Haruhi seeing them the least mainly because of her social status, and that seemed to make up for the loss.

"Haruhi! Change quickly, your customer's are waiting!" Tamaki exclaimed, thrusting a frilly outfi at her. He was dressed in some fancy, European medieval costume with a cutlass at his side.

"I'm not wearing that," she stated flatly, looking up at him with annoyance.

"But if you don't wear it we won't have the perfect set of princes!" he fussed, thrashing his arms in the air.

Haruhi took the garment. "Prince?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. "What's the theme today?"

"Prince charming!" Hikaru and Kaoru cooed in her ear from behind her.

"Prince charming?" she repeated. Honey wasn't there to spring up in her face and excitedly explain, as she was sure he would have if he had of been there. She felt slightly sad at this.

"Right, we are the five princes of a distant, far away land, valiantly protecting the heart of our dearly beloved!" Tamaki dramatized, throwing his hand into the air in a broad gesture at nothing in particular.

Haruhi sighed. She glimpsed several ladies clustered in a bunch 'ooing' and 'cooing' over the other four hosts who were fully clad in their princely apparel. Her customers were mixed in with them no doubt eagerly anticipating what she would look like in her costume. "Fine, give me five minutes," she said, trudging off to the back room where she could change in private.

The door creaked open and Tamaki was right there to greet their late arrival and possible new customer. "Beautiful princess, so fair and sweet! I bestow upon you my love and pledge to you my loyalty. My heart is yours, do with it what you will!" he said, starting into his grand speech of the day. He looked up from his kneeling position and met the deep blue eyes of a girl instead of a young lady.

"Ah!" she gasped, cheeks fully flushing. She glanced around flustered, fingering the hem of her skirt. "I-I don't know what to say."

"Ah, a young princess!" Tamaki smiled. He stood and bowed to her eye level. "You're from the middle school? I had no idea that the host club was favored even over there."

"Host club?" she questioned, cocking her head to the side in confusion. "I don't know. I've never heard of it."

"You must be new here," Kyoya said, stepping up as Tamaki shrank back into a corner to sit in a cloud of gloom as he sulked. "I'm pretty sure most of the middle and elementary school has heard of the High School Host Club, even if they aren't old enough to appreciate its services. Are you lost by chance?"

"No sir, I came here on purpose," she replied, stepping out of the doorway. "I was told I could find—ah! There they are!"

Kyoya watched her hurry past him and further into the room. She made a beeline for the Hitachiin's who were busy entertaining several guests with their 'brotherly love' routine. They appeared to pretending to bicker playfully and their fans were loving it.

Haruhi could hear Tamaki from the other room with the door shut. When he had stopped talking so suddenly she grew curious and changed quicker. When she came out of the room she was surprised to find Riku trying to squeeze between the ladies clustered about the twins and get to them.

"Oh, you're the girl from earlier," she said upon approaching her.

Riku turned on her heel as if she'd been caught in the act of something naughty. "You're that boy they were with," she observed. "I'm sorry, I should introduce myself. I'm Riku Hitachiin and I—"

"Riku!"

The girl squealed and whirled around to face Hikaru and Kaoru who were standing over her. "What are you doing here?" they demanded.

"I wanted to see you!" she cried.

"Go home," Hikaru told her. "We're busy," Kaoru explained.

"I can't go home," she whined.

"Oh? Why not?" Kaoru asked

"I came with you! I don't have a ride home until you leave because we rode here in the same car," she replied. She dropped her gaze. "Your driver won't be back for you until you're finished here. I-I thought I might be able to wait with you."

"You'll get in the way!" Hikaru snapped.

"Hikaru," Haruhi said. "Who is this?"

"Oh, this is Riku Hitachiin," he replied, whirling her around to face Haruhi. "She's our cousin. She lives in Europe somewhere. Her mother is our mother's sister. She sent her here to finish up her education at Ouran and she's staying with us until then."

"Yeah, and fortunately we'll only be here for two more years," Kaoru muttered. He crossed his arms and turned his face away when Riku peered back at him over her shoulder.

"Hi, Riku. I'm Haruhi Fujioka. Its nice to meet you!" Haruhi said, bending down to her eyelevel.

"N-nice to meet you," Riku stuttered, curtsying gracefully.

"Any family of the Hitachiin's is welcome at the club, even if as just an observer," Tamaki said, recovered from his temporarily shattered ego.

"Milord," Kaoru said agitatedly. "Its not a good idea to let a kid in here."

"And why not? Its not like she's a guest, so we're doing nothing inappropriate in letting her stay here," Tamaki said.

"But she might see something 'inappropriate'," Hikaru pointed out.

"Well, if you're so worried about your little cousin, then the two of you will have to keep things to a minimum!" he declared.

"What if the customer's protest?" Kaoru demanded.

"Kaoru, we don't mind!" one of their regulars said, stepping forward. "Your cousin is really cute. Its sweet that she wants to spend time with you both. We don't mind if she hangs around us."

"Not at all!" another one agreed.

"Then it's settled," Tamaki said. He pointed a finger into the air. "From now on, Riku can wait to go home with her cousins in this music room until they graduate!"

"You don't have to make it a decree, milord," Hikaru and Kaoru said in unison.

"I won't be any trouble, Kaoru," Riku said, stepping up to the twin closest to her.

"You're wrong again," he said. "I'm Hikaru."

"No you're not," Haruhi objected. She pointed directly at Hikaru. "He's Hikaru. You're Kaoru and you're lying."

"Why?" Riku wondered, tears filling her eyes. "I try really hard not to get your names right, because I know you want to be called correctly. Why would you lie?"

"Hikaru is the same as me, there's no difference!" Kaoru snorted. "Just sit down over there and be quiet."

Haruhi glared at their backs as they returned to their customers. She didn't like the way they were acting and saw no reason for the way they were treating Riku. The only reason she could think of was that they had such a closed, separate world of their own and Riku was still on the outside. For what reason she couldn't begin to guess at, but she had a feeling they didn't know why either.

"Its ok, Riku," she assured with a smile. "I'm sure they don't mean it."

"I know they don't," Riku replied. She forced a smile. "I'm happy to know they were worried about me being exposed to something inappropriate. They were concerned for me and that makes me glad."

Haruhi smiled. She could bring herself to tell her the truth –that they had only brought up those perfectly valid points to try and keep her away from them and out of the music room. "Of course!" she lied. How could she break her heart? She obviously adored her cousins. Haruhi couldn't see why, though. Not with how mean they were to her.

* * *

After all the customer's had left for the day, Haruhi had to stay behind and help clean up. She noticed Riku sitting in a window seal patiently waiting for her cousins. She wondered how old she was.

"Hikaru!" Riku said, jumping down from the window seal as he passed by. "Can I help with anything?" she asked. She stared up at him, receiving a blank stare back. "I got it r-right, didn't I?" she asked worriedly.

Even Haruhi had to admit she was cute at that moment. With the nervous, anxious expression on her saddened face she looked adorable. Haruhi wondered what his reaction would be.

Hikaru grinned. "Sure you can help us!" he said with excitement. Her face lit up and she smiled. He handed her the broom he was holding. "Go sweep up the crumbs around the tables and couches," he instructed.

"And take this too," Kaoru said, offering her the dustpan as he reached Hikaru's side.

Riku smiled. "I'll do a good job!" she said, running to do the task she'd been given. The twins watched her go and grinned mischievously at one another. The gave a congratulatory 'high five'.

"Hikaru! Kaoru!" Haruhi scolded. To any one else, and unfortunately to Riku, it would look like a kind act to allow the girl to do something to help them like she wanted. But Haruhi knew it was simply a way for them to get out of their assigned chores. They were probably planning to dictate their remaining chores to her once she was finished.

"Is something wrong, Haruhi?" Hikaru said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"That was dirty," she said crossing her arms.

"Yeah, but once Riku-chan finishes sweeping it'll be clean!" Kaoru grinned, stepping up beside her on her other side and mirroring his brother's action.

"You know what I mean," she sighed. "Why don't you like her? She's very sweet."

"No, she's selfish," Hikaru replied. He ran his index finger up her neck, catching her chin and turning her head to face him. "And spoiled."

"You're the selfish, spoiled ones," she retorted.

Kaoru laid his head over on her shoulder. "You haven't seen her true self," he said, racking his hand through her short hair.

Hikaru brushed her bangs out of her face. "She isn't as sweet as she appears. She's really not pleasant company," he continued. "She was a terrible brat when we were just kids."

"That was years ago! People change," Haruhi objected. She paused a moment to consider it. She looked at Hikaru a moment and glanced back and Kaoru. "_Most_ people change," she corrected.

"Some change for the worse!" Kaoru offered.

"But normally its for the better," Haruhi argued.

Hikaru caught her chin with his finger again, tilting her head back to lean in. "What about you, Haruhi? How have you changed for the better over the years? I'm curious."

Kaoru placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her against him. He breathed soft, warm breath into her ear. "I want to know, Haruhi, would you be willing to change for us?"

"This isn't about me," Haruhi said, glancing to the side in annoyance.

"Hikaru! Kaoru!" came Tamaki's enraged shout of protest. In the back of her mind Haruhi had wondered what he'd been doing for so long. Usually when the brothers snuggled up to her he noticed within seconds.

Haruhi was released as the twins turned to taunt Tamaki. She tuned them out and watched Riku as she diligently swept up every crumb in sight. If Honey had of been there still she would have had a harder job, but fortunately for her he wasn't around anymore. Haruhi wondered if what the twins had said was true but then mentally berated herself for believing them for one second. They'd do anything to make themselves look good, though with their devilish personality that was impossible. But how could they call her selfish and spoiled?

Riku noticed Haruhi watching when she looked up. Blushing slightly she smiled and waved. Kyoya approached her and took the broom and dustpan from her. Though she couldn't hear what he said, Haruhi figured out he'd relieved her of the duty.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, your driver has arrived," Kyoya informed them, interrupting their dispute with Tamaki as he approached.

"Riku," Hikaru said, turning to get her. He almost tripped over her because she was so close behind him. He gave her a strange look. "Time to go."

She smiled. "Can I ride in the middle?" she wondered.

"No!" they both said firmly.

Haruhi assumed she meant the middle of them, which of course was unacceptable, although, for some reason they didn't mind putting her in the middle of them. Sighing, she finished up her last chore so she could go home. It had been another long day and she still had homework to do. Her father was undoubtedly at work, so she didn't have to worry about cooking that night. When she was finished, she turned out the lights and left.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School Host Club

Author's Note: In response to Just a Stranger's review, I miss Honey and Mori too! I do plan to put them in here, somehow. I have no idea how long this'll be but what would Host Club be without those two? They will appear, I just don't know how soon. Sorry. Also, the first chapter was a lot shorter than I'd wanted it to be. I don't want anything terribly lengthy but I was hoping to get more than five pages for chapter one. It's so hard to write about everyday life and make it interesting, though. Even when you have interesting characters to work with its still so hard! Kudos to those who can pull it off!

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School Host Club

Chapter Two

It was too early for the antics of the Hosts, but then again, it was always too early to deal with them for Haruhi no matter what time of day it was. She always saw the worst of the bunch first, though. Was it a curse? What could she have done to deserve this?

"Haruhi," the twins greeted, waving from across the classroom when they spotted her. Again she wanted to cringe, wishing to block out their harmonic voices forever and lacking the ability and distance required to do so. "You're late!"

"I am not," she growled, slamming her book bag onto her desk. It was quite the change from the usual gentle touch she had.

"Haruhi? Are you ever in a bad mood!" Kaoru observed, taking it upon himself to point out the obvious. "Sleep on the wrong side of the bed? Get up facing the wrong way?"

"Its 'get up on the wrong side of the bed' and 'sleep facing the wrong way,'" she corrected. She found their experimentation with commoner phrases amusing most of the time. They normally got them wrong though. "And no, I didn't do either."

"Haruhi," Hikaru spoke from her other side. She knew them by their voice now even if they weren't on opposing sides. After all, they only sounded similar, not exactly alike. "We're sorry about yesterday."

_A genuine apology maybe?_ She thought, but it was too good to be true. "What about yesterday?" she asked. They had many things to be sorry for. The sad thing was she knew they weren't.

"We kind of treated Riku badly," Kaoru admitted with a sigh. He looked so forlorn it had to be fake.

"You owe her the apology, not me," she said, falling into her chair. She eyed them suspiciously. What were they trying to do?

"No, we owe you the apology," Hikaru corrected. She obviously didn't see their logic so he explained. "We were mean to her, but that's not unusual. But we caused you grief over it."

"I wasn't really 'grieved' per say," she muttered.

"But you disapproved. And we're sorry," Kaoru continued.

"So you're sorry I disapproved of your actions, not sorry for your actions," Haruhi confirmed. Sighing she covered her eyes with a hand.

"Do you have a headache, Haruhi? Is that why you're in a bad mood?" Hikaru wondered. "We have aspirin if you need it. We could get someone to give you a massage if you want it," Kaoru offered.

"No, that's not necessary," she declined, waving them off with her hand. _If only it were that easy to dismiss them_, she thought. "There's no relief for this kind of headache."

"What kind of headache is it?" Kaoru asked. "Is it different from normal headaches? Is there a name for it?"

Haruhi lowered her hand, closing it in a loose fist as it came to rest against her chin; she looked thoughtfully at her desk. "Actually, it has _two_ names. They start with 'H' and 'K'—"

"Open your texts to yesterdays lesson," the teacher announced as he entered the room, interrupting Haruhi's diagnosis of her _headaches_. "We'll pick up where we left off." Hikaru and Kaoru dropped the subject and gave their attention to the lesson for once. After class there was a break which Haruhi wanted use for some brief review before the next class started. She waited until the twins were preoccupied and slipped into the hallway. They'd eventually notice her absence and come looking for her, knowing she wouldn't stray far when class was about to start. But it would get her some peace to study before hand as she had so little time to do so after school.

Haruhi sighed at the sound of the door 'click' when she pulled it shut. She'd successfully 'escaped' the twins! Now all she had to do was successfully skim over her next lesson. She turned to walk away from the door and find a place in the hall to sit in quiet when she bumped into someone, knocking them over in the process, as they were shorter than she was.

"Riku!" Haruhi exclaimed when she got a look at the girl, now sitting on the ground in the middle of her dropped books. "What are you doing here? Don't you have class?"

"I-I-I'm so sorry!" Riku apologized, dropping her gaze to avoid making eye contact. She scrambled to pick up her books. "I shouldn't have been—I mean I wasn't supposed to be here—I should go!"

Haruhi caught her shoulder as she stood to run away. "Wait, don't go," Haruhi pleaded. She couldn't help but smile when Riku glanced back at her. She found it odd that such a sweet, polite person could have any relation to the twins. How on earth a kind girl was blood related to them was beyond Haruhi's comprehension. Maybe there was something yet undiscovered wrong with her? Haruhi shrugged it off.

"What are you doing here?" Haruhi repeated.

Riku blushed and looked away again. She was also extremely shy, another thing she didn't have in common with her cousins. "I wanted to speak with Hikaru and Kaoru," she confessed.

"It couldn't wait until lunch?" Haruhi found the words already departed from her lips before she had even recalled the previous day. The twins had banned her from eating lunch with them.

Riku shook her head. She didn't appear phased by the reminder. "I wanted to talk to them before class. I have a gap between classes so I thought I might take the opportunity to say 'good morning' since I didn't get a chance to earlier," she explained.

"Why not?" Haruhi asked. "You rode in with them today, right?

"No, they got up and had breakfast earlier than usual today and arranged for a separate car to bring me," she replied. "They didn't want me to have to wait around for them again today. They said I looked bored yesterday…"

Haruhi frowned. They'd fixed the 'problem' of her being present during Hosting hours. Did they really hate her prescience that much? She'd never seen them treat someone so coldly, but then again she hadn't known them very long.

"I should go though," Riku said, curtseying. "They're busy anyway. They wouldn't see me now."

"Riku!" Haruhi called after her. Riku paused and turned, waiting with a quizzical look. "If you would," Haruhi smiled. "I know you'd rather eat lunch with Hikaru and Kaoru, but would you eat lunch with me instead?"

Riku smiled. "I'd like that! And I'll get to see them, too!" she giggled.

Haruhi smiled. "Right then. Come to the high school cafeteria during lunch. I'll be waiting there for you," she informed the girl.

"Thank you, Haruhi-san!" Riku said with a wide grin. Turning to run off she added, waving as she ran off, "I'll be there!"

Haruhi watched her run off down the hallway until she rounded the corner. She smiled. She knew that the brothers would probably only ridicule or scold Riku more at lunch, but for some reason she was just happy to be around them, even if they were unpleasant towards her.

"Haru—HI!" _they_ harmonized.

"We found you," Kaoru said triumphantly. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Where'd you go?"

"We were looking for you," Hikaru complained. "What are you doing? Cutting class?"

Haruhi sighed. Ignoring them, she turned and entered the classroom. Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged a glance, shrugged, and followed after her.

Lunch finally came, but only after several more grueling hours of enduring the Hitachiin's many distractions as they tried to 'chat' with her during class. As the other students headed for the cafeteria Haruhi, to the twins' surprised, stood to do the same.

"Aren't you going to eat in the classroom like you always do?" Hikaru wondered.

"I thought I'd eat in the cafeteria again today," Haruhi replied plainly.

"But we usually have to drag you there before you go. You never go willingly," Kaoru pointed out, falling in step next to his brother as the two of them followed her out of the classroom.

"That's not true, I am today," Haruhi corrected. She quickened her pace to get ahead of them, glancing at her watch. She wanted to get to the cafeteria before Riku so she didn't have to spend time looking for her needlessly.

Once inside the cafeteria, Haruhi sat at a table while the twins got in line to get their lunch trays. Just as she'd opened her lunch to eat the cell phone the twins had loaned out to her started to ring. Pulling it out of her pocket she answered it.

"Hello?"

"Haru-chan, Haru-chan!"

Haruhi eyed the phone as she quickly moved it away from her ear. Honey was on the other end and she could hear his excited exclaims even with the phone held out so far from her ear. "Not so loud, Honey-senpai!" she pleaded, cautiously placing the phone to her ear again. "Why are you calling me during school?"

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized. "I wanted to talk to you! I heard Hika-chan and Kao-chan's cousin was in town. Is she cute? Can you send me a picture?"

"You called about that?" she asked. Cell phone calls cost money. Obviously rich people didn't mind throwing it around over such frivolous things. "How did you hear anyway?"

"Haru-chan, we still keep in touch!" Honey exclaimed. She could picture his distressed face to match his distraught voice. "Hika-chan told me yesterday when I called him. I want to meet her. I bet she's cute! Is she cute? Does she like cake?"

Haruhi chuckled, wondering subconsciously if Honey would ever mature. "I don't know, I haven't talked to her much," she replied. "They keep away from her a lot."

"Is that Honey!?" a girl squealed. Haruhi was surprised as one of the female students exclaimed, having heard Honey in passing. That was just how loud he talked.

"It is!" another girl, who was with the first one, said. Haruhi recognized them as Honey's old fans. "Oh, let me talk to him!"

Haruhi had to stand up to fend them off. "Uh, I have to go now, Honey-sempai," she said, doing her best to hold two fan girls back with the only free arm she had. "I'll talk to you later."

The girls 'awed' their disappointment when Haruhi pushed the 'end call' button, but they were quick to forgive her before they walked away. Haruhi sat back down with a sigh of relief.

"Was that Honey?" Hikaru asked, sitting down beside her. He'd returned from the lunch line.

"What did he want?" Kaoru asked sitting on her other side.

She noticed the exact same foods on their trays, as always. Her lunch was humbled next to theirs, but she was content with it. "Uh, nothing really," she lied, deciding not to bring Riku up—yet.

Hikaru shrugged. He took some of his salad on his fork and offered it to her. "Want a bite?" he asked.

Haruhi pushed his hand back. "No thank you," she declined, sweat dropping at how quickly they forgot one topic and moved to the next.

"Are you sure?" Kaoru asked, poking a bite of something different from his tray in her face.

"No, no I'm fine," she chuckled. She caught the smell of it as he waved it under her nose. It was soup; a spoonful of piping hot, steaming, delicious smelling soup. "It does smell good though—"

"Just one bite! If you like it you can have it," Kaoru said. He eyed it with indifference. "It's the third week we've had it anyway. I'm bored of it."

"Well, ok, but just one bite," Haruhi told herself. She opened her mouth for Kaoru to feed her. Before he even got it close enough for her to smell it again someone smacked the spoon—wonderful soup and all—from his hand.

"No indirect kisses!" Tamaki growled, standing over them. Kyoya hovered behind him carrying his tray, impatiently waiting for Tamaki to pick a table to sit at.

"Milord, I hadn't eaten off that spoon yet," Kaoru pointed out. Haruhi sat staring after the spoon with despair. How could he waste it like that?

"Then no couple-like feeding! And besides, your not worthy enough to eat after Haruhi!" Tamaki demanded. He leaned down over Haruhi's chair. "Haruhi, don't be lured in by their devilish charm. They're snakes, lying in wait for such a sweet, innocent like yourself to come along so they can prey upon you."

Hikaru grinned mischievously as he caught his brother's eye. Kaoru grinned too as an unheard message passed between them. Gently he took hold of Haruhi's jaw and turned her head towards him. Glancing up at Tamaki he licked the spoon, scooped up some of his soup with it, gently squeezed Haruhi's mouth open and popped the spoon in.

He slowly pulled it out so Haruhi had a chance to get every drop of soup. "Well?" he asked with a seductive smile. "Is it good?"

Haruhi licked her lips and swallowed. Her eyes sparkled as she savored the taste that still remained on her tongue. Raising her lightly fisted hand to her mouth her eyes watered. "Its delicious!" she gasped.

Hikaru offered to feed her another spoonful. "Then have another bite!"

"Hikaru!" Tamaki shouted, enraged. He snatched the spoon from the Hitachiin's hand and swung it at him, flinging soup all over the floor. "I demand that you stop that! Haruhi isn't your plaything! You shouldn't tease her like that. Her palate is very delicate. She's not used to such rich foods. If you give them to her so carelessly, you'll upset her taste buds."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Hikaru asked with a nonchalant shrug. "She likes it, milord, why not let her have it?"

Tamaki paused and stared at him in wonder. "Ah, Haruhi!" he said. Setting his tray down next to her he shoved Kaoru aside so he could kneel next to her chair. Taking a spoonful from his soup he offered it to her in the same manner Hikaru had. "Here, you can have mine! Go on, open up for Daddy!"

"No thanks," Haruhi said flatly, shoving his hand away and turning back to the bland food contents of her lunch box. "I don't want it anymore."

Before Tamaki had a chance to be mortified over her rejection, Riku stepped up on the other side of the table. "Excuse me," she said shyly. Giggling she added with a smile, "I found you."

Haruhi smiled, standing to greet her. "Ah, Riku," she beamed. "Come sit down."

"Ai, Riku-chan!" Hikaru and Kaoru complained, leaning across the table. They poked her forehead with a finger. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Didn't we tell you we couldn't have lunch with you today?" Hikaru inquired.

"No, you told her yesterday that you couldn't have lunch with her," Haruhi corrected. She came around the table and pulled out a chair for Riku. "Why don't you sit here next to me?" Reaching across the table she slid her lunch box to the opposite side. "Away from them."

Tamaki slid into the chair Haruhi had previously occupied. The three of them starred dumbfounded as Haruhi engaged in conversation with Riku. Kyoya took the empty seat next to Kaoru and began to eat. "If the three of you don't finish your lunches you'll be late to class," he stated coolly between bites.

Hikaru and Kaoru glared over at him agitatedly. Turning identical condescending looks on their cousin, they picked up their trays and walked off. "We'll eat elsewhere," they spat as theu stalked off.

"Did I do something wrong again?" Riku wondered pitifully.

Haruhi smiled warmly at her. "Don't mind them," she said. "If they don't want to eat with us, that's their loss. We can have a nice lunch together without them."

Riku gazed up at her a moment before she returned the smile with one of her own. "Sure!" she said with a chuckle.

"Here, we can share my lunch," Haruhi offered, scooting the lunch box towards Riku.

Riku's eyes lit up. "Really? That's awfully nice of you. Are you sure?" she wondered, peering at the contents curiously.

Haruhi nodded. "Of course, I don't mind," she laughed. "I won't eat it all myself anyway."

"Ok then," Riku said, helping herself to a bite. "It looks delicious!"

Haruhi's smile faded as she watched the girl eat. She saw nothing selfish or spoiled about her. There was the possibility that she was pulling the wool over her eyes, but from the sweet child that sat next to her, Haruhi couldn't see how that was true. The more she got to know Riku to less of a family connection she saw with the twins. Sighing, she glanced around to locate them, who had moved to the furthest table away. They were surrounded by their fans and playing up their hosting rolls to the fullest. Disgusted, Haruhi turned her attention back to Riku. She'd have to see and hear enough of that later.

* * *

She hadn't meant it coldly but they had taken it personally. Hikaru and Kaoru were mostly angry with their cousin for distracting Haruhi's attention from them. Tamaki was still sulking because part of the precious little time he had to spend with Haruhi during the day had been taken from him—not to mention her blatant rejection when he offered to feed her his soup.

Thus the hosts' were quiet until their customers arrived. Once the majority of their designators had filed through the door they had forgotten the earlier offense and resumed their normal behavior. Again Haruhi found herself in wonder over just how short their attention spans and memories were at times.

Haruhi had seen Riku to the limousine that was to take her back to the Hitachiin mansion only minutes ago and was now busy with a few of her customers, the rest yet to arrive. The twins seemed thrilled that Riku had gone home.

"Haruhi-kun!" one of her customer's half whined, half cooed as she scooted closer to her on the couch and affectionately placed her hand on the host's shoulder. "You seem so absent minded today. What's wrong?"

"Ah, sorry, sorry," Haruhi replied, leaning forward to set her empty teacup on the coffee table. "I'm just tired, I guess. Would you like more tea?" She stood, gathering up the girls' cups and placing them on a silver tray. "I'll be right back!" she promised as she briefly left them.

On her way across the room to fetch some more tea for her customers, she passed where the twins were and overheard their conversation.

"You're cousin was so cute!" one of their regulars said. "Where is she? I was hoping to see her again today."

"She had to go home," Hikaru replied, leaning heavily on Kaoru's shoulder. "I'm afraid she wasn't feeling well, so she couldn't stay as late today."

"Ah, and we miss her prescience so," Kaoru sighed dramatically, wrapping his arm around his brother's shoulders. "Even if we were busy with you ladies, just having her hear was such a joy."

"Oh no! I hope she feels better," one of the girls said.

"So do we," Hikaru said. They gently leaned their heads together so their foreheads met. "She's so sweet, it pains me to see her ill," he added. "I can't wait to get home and check on her. Oh, Hikaru, what if she's deathly ill?"

"Kaoru! You mustn't think so negatively," Hikaru said, embracing his brother in such a way that it was improper. "But I'm worried about Riku, too. If she gets that sick than I shall sit by her side and personally nurse her back to health."

"Hikaru, I'll be by her side, too," Kaoru said, placing his hand on his brother's face.

The girls squealed, screaming, "That's so sweet!", but Haruhi's stomach was turning. Not only did she find their usual 'brotherly love' disgusting as always, for many reasons, but their fake concern for their cousin was absolutely repulsive. Not only had they lied about why Riku had gone home, but they were making their customers think they actually liked her, and using this ploy to earn points with the girls. Haruhi clenched the tray she held until her knuckles turned white, continuing past the group quickly before she was tempted any further to call the twins down for their lies.

She sucked in a deep breath, holding it a while before she released it in attempt to calm herself. Still angry with the twins she refilled the teacups and returned to her customers.

After hosting hours were over she was busy cleaning up when the twins approached her. "Haruhi, tomorrow starts the weekend," Hikaru reminded.

"I know that," Haruhi replied shortly, turning her gaze away from him. Their previous lies were still fresh in her mind, and her anger over the matter was simmering on the backburner of her mind.

"We're going to the movies tomorrow. Want to come with us?" Kaoru suggested.

Haruhi met his gaze with hers sharply, biting back a hateful remark. Closing her eyes she said calmly as she continued cleaning the teacups her customers had used, "No, I don't. I have a lot of homework to do over the weekend."

"Can't you take a few hours off from that?" Hikaru asked with annoyance. "All you do is study. When do you have fun?"

"I have fun," Haruhi told him flatly. She thought for a moment, and smirked as an idea came to her. "As a matter of fact, I'm already going to have some fun tomorrow."  
"Eh? You are?" Kaoru anxiously questioned. Haruhi nodded. "With who?" the two demanded.

Haruhi glanced at the two of them before she replied. "Riku."

"Eh? Riku?" Hikaru spat. "Ne, Haruhi," they whined. "What are you doing going out with Riku?"

"Having fun," Haruhi retorted matter of fact. "I'm taking her to the movies. Tomorrow morning."

"What fun is that?" Kaoru scoffed. "You're limited to what you can watch when you go to the movies with a child."

"So? What's your point?" Haruhi inquired with a furrowed brow. "Unlike the two of you, I'm not _letting_ Riku come _with_ me to the movies, I'm _taking_ Riku to the movies."

The twins exchanged a confused glance, shrugging at one another when they received no answer from the other. "What's the difference?" they wondered together.

Haruhi sighed, turning her back on them in frustration. "I'm taking her to the movies and I'm going to let her chose the movie! I haven't picked the movie I want to see and asked her if she wanted to go with me!" she explained. Glancing over her shoulder she added in a harsh tone, "No doubt that's what you two had done when you asked me to go with you."

"That's not necessarily true!" Hikaru argued. He glanced at his brother for support.

"We wanted to see that new thriller movie," Kaoru shrugged. "But I guess we could have let Haruhi pick the movie."

Shaking her head Haruhi went to put away the teacups. "You'll never change," she said remorsefully. "You'll always be selfish." Ignoring them she walked away. Once the teacups were safely put away she retrieved her bag from the back room and left. As she walked home she found her pace quickening. After all, she had to get home and call Riku before the twins got home. Otherwise, they'd find out she'd lied about already having plans with their cousin.

She found the phonebook first thing when she got home. Flipping through she wondered if the Hitachiin's number was private when she was unable to find it listed. Deducing that it must have something to do with their mother's fame, she tossed the phone book aside in frustration. Digging the cell phone out of her book bag she dialed one of the numbers stored in its memory, determined to arrange an outing with Riku for tomorrow morning. She anxiously waited for the person on the other end to pick up. Finally, the phone she'd dialed was answered.

"Hello?"

"Kyoya-sempai?" she said eagerly, happy that she hadn't gotten his voice mail. "Sorry to bother you. I need a favor. Do you have the Hikaru and Kaoru's home phone number?"


End file.
